Pediatrics & Therapeutics
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0665
+44 1478 350008
ISSN: 2161-0665
+44 1478 350008
Brankica Vasiljevic
NMC Hospital, DIP, UAE
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Pediatr Ther
The role of echocardiography (ECHO) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has changed over the last two decades. Previously, nearly all ECHO exams in NICU were performed by pediatric cardiologists to diagnose or monitor Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) and to screen for Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). More recently, neonatologists have become interested in the echocardiographic assessment of critically ill neonate�??s bedside which are at a much higher risk for having underlying CHD. Initial ECHO examination should always be a comprehensive study of both anatomy and function. First with segmenta approach CHD has been excluded and subsequent exam can focus on hemodynamic or functional assessment. ECHO as bedside tool is able to provide crucial information and accurate decision that was not apparent on clinical assessment and may have a significant impact on improving management of patients in NICU. It is useful for real-time assessment and monitoring of therapeutic and procedural interventions. The primary barrier to future universal adoption of this operator dependent �??stethoscope of the future�?� is the lack of widespread, efficient and affordable training solution. Appropriate training in echocardiography should be incorporated into the neonatal intensive care curriculum.
Brankica Vasiljevic, has completed her MD, Clinical Postgraduate education (Pediatric and after that Neonatology fellowship) and academic postgraduate education (MSc in pediatric and ultrasonography field and PhD in neonatology field) from Belgrade University School of Medicine in Belgrade, Serbia. Currently she is the Head of Maternity and Child Health Services in NMC Hospital DIP in Dubai, UAE. She has pursued different courses in ultrasonography and echocardiography in Serbia and UK, Post Graduate Program in Pediatric Nutrition at Boston University School of Medicine and Visiting scholar and Internships in Greece (Alexandria Hospital, Iaso Hospital and Elena Hospital in Athens), USA (Morgan Children’s Hospital in New York) and Austria (General Hospital of Salzburg in Salzburg and Regional Hospital (LKHLandeskrankenhaus) in Graz). She has won the ESPNIC Educational Grant at 5th World Congress on Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care in Geneva Switzerland (2007). She was a local coordinator for International Neonatal Immunotherapy Study-INIS for Serbia and Montenegro and participated in SIOP 93-01 Study, ITP Study and Twin Birth Study. She has published more than 35 international publications in international indexed journals (100 citations), 5 chapters in various fields of neonatal medicine and has more than 30 presentations in international conferences.
E-mail: brankica.vasiljevic1@gmail.com